The indigenous Pacific Islands’ resilience against climate injustice

Abstract

ABSTRACT Small island developing states (SIDS), particularly the low-lying islands situated in Oceania within the South Pacific region, are subject to climate injustice; wherein the issue of climate change is intricately linked to their very survival. While mitigation strategies are enacted through the facilitation of knowledge generation and international collaboration, adaptive measures are implemented via a religious and spiritual framework. This distinctive approach represents a defining feature of the indigenous inhabitants within the Pacific SIDS community, serving as a socio-cultural determinant that influences specific outlooks held by Pacific denizens concerning climate variability. This paper aims to explore the rationale behind the inclination of traditional Pacific societies towards embracing a spiritual stance in addressing climate adaptation. It is contended that in confronting climate injustices, the indigenous populations of the Pacific region tend to draw more heavily upon traditional practices and the incorporation of local knowledge alongside conventional approaches, such as scientific, technological, and diplomatic measures. The phenomenon of climate change in the Pacific SIDS is emblematic of susceptibility, calamity, and discourses revolving around trepidation and ambiguity (aporia), necessitating strategies that extend beyond those rooted in secular-Western ideologies.